Co-Operartives Should Be More Cooperative

While William H. Hobbs was getting chewed out by Robin Smith for having only one reporter at the Women for McCain event; Rep. Jim Cooper was speaking to a packed audience of reporters about getting money back for members of electric co-ops who are paying more than they should:

Cooper said the TVA is conducting an internal study to be completed next month of its role as a regulator of cooperatives, and he is urging the TVA to make changes that will lead to refunds for cooperative members.

He said that the average individual ratepayer owns about $1,824 worth of his or her local electric cooperative, and that many cooperatives could afford to refund 10 percent to 30 percent of that to members.

"I just think that's a fundamental injustice,'' Cooper said. "No one knows they have nearly $2,000 of their own money in these cooperatives."